Star Wars: Uprising
by SuperSith89
Summary: The story of Rahm Kota and his rogue militia as they kick off the Rebellion's actions. Searching for surviving Jedi, fighting the Empire's propaganda, and building the Rebellion as Kota also finds out who he really is without the Jedi Order guiding his actions.
1. Chapter 1

2 Hours before Order 66: 19 BBY

Jedi General Rahm Kota paced in his personal quarters, the silence of his command vessel becoming an annoyance. Kota had seen no action for the past two weeks and it bothered him. What bothered him more was the fact that he should feel at peace. Clearly, something was amiss. Dooku was dead, Grievous soon to be, and the Separatist armies were in retreat across the galaxy. The Clone War was coming to an end. After three brutal years, maybe the galaxy would have peace. So why was Kota pacing? Why not rejoice for the end of Dooku and the coming of a Separatist loss? What was the Force trying to tell him? Kota stopped, sat cross-legged beside his bed, and he closed his eyes. There it was again. That sense of foreboding. While light was triumphant, darkness was encompassing Kota's mind. Was it only his mind though? Clearly someone else felt something was wrong. And then he saw it.

He opened his eyes to see the Jedi temple burning. Dark figures marched throughout the temple, Jedi dead across the halls. Archives were ruined, statues broken, and a Sith stood before it all. His identity was masked, but above him was the image of an even darker presence. He then felt a great pain in his chest and he saw flashes of light flicker by, and then he was back in his room. Sweat drenched his clothing and he was breathing deeply. A voice crackled over his comm unit as soon as he got his bearings. "General Kota, this is the bridge, do you copy?" Kota hopped up and answered the voice.

"Kota to bridge, over."

"We've arrived at Dantooine. We will be requesting permission to land at the Republic outpost near Dantoo Town."

"Alright, tell them we will just be refueling and then setting off."

"Weren't we docking here for a few days sir? Reinforcements for General Tai?"

"Not anymore. I must speak with him while we refuel though."

"Copy that sir. Over and out." Kota opened his compartment under his bed, inside which was his travelling cloak and lightsaber. He didn't need anything else, not now. All other provisions were on this ship. He quickly changed into his new set of clothes and exited his quarters to join his crew on the bridge.

Jedi General Tai Tinora watched as Aston V landed just outside the walls of the outpost. For a consular ship, it certainly was not typical. It contained multiple small turrets that were clearly visible while some parts of the ship looked ready to pop open and let either missiles or more turrets out. Clearly, Kota had done some work with it. The ship also carried the markings of war. Scratches and missing panels made the ship look years older than it really was, but it certainly gave it more character. A loading ramp descended, and Kota emerged, followed by three of his personal militia. Kota was quite the character, to say the least. The man looked worse for the wear, his hair already graying at the age of 37, and he had enough scars to add ten more years. One scar ran across his face, making him look both menacing and hideous. He was a man built for war and he wanted everyone to know it. Perhaps that was why he left the Jedi Order, or why he refused to use Clone Troopers in combat. Was it because he was more of a war monger? Was it because of something else? Either way, the man was no enemy of the Jedi. He just resented them.

The Jedi bowed when Kota came near and the two parted from their soldiers to talk in private. "Wonderful to see you Tai."

"I'm not sure if I can say the same for you Kota. You're not exactly a great role model."

"That's a lot, coming from a Zabrak."

"Low blow."

"Well, your kind don't typically become Jedi now do they?"

"Darth Maul and his brother are a thorn in our kind. But does the public denounce humanoids when Dooku starts a Clone War with us?"

"Did he start it?"

"I don't want to get into this Kota. I know how you feel about the Order and their decisions. It is an old debate and I do not have the time or interest."

"Fine. Have you felt it though?"

"Felt what?"

"The darkness. Don't tell me you are blind to it!"

"We are nearly at a time of peace, Kota! How can you be thinking of darkness?!"

"I'm not thinking of it, the Force is warning me! I saw a vision Tai! The temple was burning and the Sith were in control! We need to contact the others about this! I cannot be the only one who senses the dark side taking shape right now."

"Who will listen to you Kota? You publicly denounced the Jedi before all of Coruscant and threatened to bomb the cloning facilities in Kamino!"

"This is serious Tai!"

"So was that! Now if you want your fuel, fine, but you won't be staying at this base for your stay. Dantoo Town is a few clicks off."

"Didn't plan on staying anyways. I want to head back to the Temple as soon as possible."

"Have fun. I'm sure the council will enjoy seeing you again." Kota wanted to retaliate, but he knew it to be futile. The Jedi walked in silence, despite the troops moving throughout the outpost, and the two returned after a full walk around the base. The ship looked ready to depart and Kota' men were already prepared to leave. The only troops left outside the ship were a couple captains that waited for Kota. He turned to look at Tai once more and the two clasped hands. Tai smirked and turned to leave. As Kota did the same, it happened. A flash, much stronger than in his visions. Death throughout the galaxy, the Sith finally unmasked, and the clicks of safety being turned off behind him. Kota immediately backflipped and sliced the heads off the two troopers who had just moved in to attack him, his green lightsaber glowing against the setting sun.

"Tai! Get over here now!"

"What in the name of…" Just as Tai had seen the carnage before him, his second-in-command dead, he was shot three times from behind.

"NO!" Tai fell to his knees, a squad of clones now emerging from the base to attack Kota. "Get in the ship! Tell them to take off and leave the ramp down!" He deflected blaster fire, the sound of his men boarding behind him. Clones fell to deflected blaster fire, but Kota would be overrun soon. He used all his strength to send the squad flying into the wall of the outpost, killing them instantly, which bought enough time for Kota to hoist Tai's body on his shoulders. Just as he heard more clones rushing to stop him, he leaped onto the ramp of the Aston V, the ship now taking off. He dropped Tai to the floor, a few medics taking him away, and Kota fell to the floor as the ramp sealed behind him.

"Do you need medical assistance sir?"

"No. Leave me." The medic did as he was commanded, and Kota sat there, his chest heaving as the pain of the dying Jedi filled him. This was it. The Jedi purge had begun. Just as Kota sat there, wanting to scream, sob, and personally kill every last clone on Dantooine, his second-in-command, Admiral Vencio, approached him.

"Sir, the Republic blockade is waiting for us. We will not make it out."

"Prepare my ship." Kota said this with a ferocity he was unaware of. He would not take this lying down. He would blow up every clone if it was the last thing he did. And he was determined to make this the last thing he did. He had been right in placing trust in real soldiers. The Jedi had been blind, and now they were being slaughtered. Kota pushed himself up, now renewed with hatred, and he marched to the docking bay. While the ship was not meant to carry any fighters, it had one spot for a transport vehicle to dock underneath. The bay was barely big enough to fit his Interceptor, but he was grateful it could now. A few engineers looked wary of anyone going alone to take on a blockade, but none dared to get in the Jedi General's way.

"Ship is fully prepared sir. Be safe out there!" Kota just nodded as the bay opened and Kota flew out into the upper atmosphere of Dantooine. Had it been under different circumstances, Kota would have considered the planet a spectacle to behold. Now, his focus was purely on the command ship and on the entire fleet if he could manage. As he sped ahead of the Aston V, a voice came through his headset.

"Sir, this is Admiral Vencio. I would not advise your doing this. It's suicide."

"So is trying to make it by without attacking."

"Why are they attacking in the first place? Maybe we can negotiate."

"No, I order you to go on your way and let me clear you a path."

"This is a fool's errand general!" Kota switched off his communications just as the docking bay of the command star destroyer opened. A fleet of ARC-170s swarmed from the hangar like bugs exiting a nest. Kota closed his eyes, connecting with the Force, and fired at the oncoming fleet. His first mark was obliterated, and he dove as a volley of return fire whizzed past his ship. He banked under the ships and veered up, firing at another. He destroyed it and let the other eight ships follow him. Torpedoes were fired, but Kota let off decoys that attracted their attention. One torpedo survived as Kota neared the command ship, but he cut out of a dive right by one of the ship's turrets, the torpedo not having enough time to miss it. Fire erupted from what used to be a turret and the squadron behind him broke off. Four ships each came from his right and left, and Kota barely missed their fire as he went underneath the destroyer. He took half the group under with him, the Jedi leading them towards the engines. He dodged their fire and pulled up towards the engines before another torpedo slammed into the belly of the ship.

"That's right. Just send one more." As if on cue, another torpedo was fired and Kota, with all his might stretched out with the Force. He could feel the fear in the pilots and the shame of the one who fired it as the torpedo veered right into one of the engines. The explosion caught all four in it, killing them instantly. Kota barely escaped and fired his own torpedo at another engine. With two down, the ship was sure to be crippling from the inside. The other four ships from the now puny squadron flanked him from the other side of the bridge he was now approaching, but he took one out with a well-aimed shot. He swerved by the other three and fired his last torpedo at the left bridge, hitting it perfectly. The back erupted, and he could see the crew sucked out and into the cold vacuum of space. With one last effort, he flipped himself and got behind his pursuers, firing and causing the lead ship to crash into the other two, and those crashing into the right bridge. The lead ship now crippled, Kota wasn't surprised to see the other two responding with squads of their own. He flipped on his communications, so he could speak to Admiral Vencio just as he entered the dogfight with twenty ARC-170s.

"Thank goodness. General, are you all right?"

"The command ship is down admiral, be ready to pick me up."

"Where?"

"You'll see me." He flipped his communications off once more and pulled a helmet from under his seat. He carefully slipped it on and turned the controls over to his R3 unit. "Good luck, old friend." With one push of a button, he was ejected, and with luck, none of the ships surrounding him noticed. Using the force, he pulled himself towards an ARC-170 and caught onto its hatch. With one swift move he ignited his lightsaber and pushed it through and into the pilot's head. The ship slowed and was now dead weight with Kota on top. He carefully opened it, threw the pilot out, and broke off from the fight. He flipped off his tracking and communications, set it on auto as well, and waited until he was mere meters away from the left bridge of the star destroyer closest to the Aston V. He ejected, went with the momentum past the bridge, and barely escaped the blast that came from the collision.

Through all the commotion, none of the Republic fleet noticed the Jedi getting away, the Aston V gliding past, or when it stopped to let Kota in. As the ARC-170s finally destroyed Kota's ship, they had already jumped into hyperspace.

1 Year after Order 66: 18 BBY


	2. Chapter 2

1 Year after Order 66: 18 BBY

Ferus Olin dashed through the forests of Bellassa, blaster fire barely missing him. His shirt was torn, and he was drenched in sweat, his muscles just started to ache. He had to keep going. No giving in, not now. Just a meter or two and he would cross it. After a few more seconds, he jumped over a fallen tree and slid down a rough bit of earth, landing on flat ground after a bit of a fall. With the little bit of energy he had left, he used the Force to quicken his pace to the hidden door in the cliffside. He heard the stormtroopers shouting orders to each other, but he was inside his underground shelter before they ever got down the hill. He rushed through a corridor of dirt and then to a second door which opened into a small, but comfortable home. It was plated with metal and a single light was above the table that was in the center. There was a room leading off from it and next to that doorway lay a chest of the few things Ferus owned. There was nowhere to keep food and dirt was visible on the roof, but it was the best he could have.

A computer sat on a desk to his right and a radar was blipping on it. Of course, red dots showed on it, but they were leaving the vicinity. All the better for Ferus. They must not have known he was a Jedi, otherwise there would be more than just three stormtroopers after him. What they were after was the food Ferus had nicked off a vendor in the town just a few klicks north of his home. Home, of course, was a general term, considering what he had. No Jedi had a home anymore. Sure, he could lie low in town, but he cut the chances of that when he became a thief. It was the only way of survival. Somehow, he would have given himself away anyways. He knew he was reckless. Easy enough for himself to see. He just didn't care.

Ferus dumped the bag of goods he had brought with him and started making do with what he had for a meal.

Ussa, Bellassa: Same Time

Yorin Petriss was a simple man, yet stern. He was kind, yet strong. Plump, but he would have said 'big-boned' if you asked. He was the perfect leader for the capital of his home planet, Bellassa. Yorin was born on Bellassa just fifty years ago, and he was thirty when he became 'king' of the planet. King was saying too much for him. Bellassa didn't have much in terms of government, and the one senator it had never came back from Coruscant except on some important business. That's why Yorin was flustered on this very day. Not only was he adapting to Imperial presence on Bellassa, but now he had to make his 'palace' presentable fir Senator Celrich and a regional governor just assigned to the planet. Palace was another strong word for what he had. Really, it was just a large building with nothing special about it. It looked just like every other building in Ussa, but it had fine quarters in it to set it apart just a bit. Enough to please Yorin at least.

Yorin trudged into the hot afternoon air as an Imperial shuttle prepared to land just outside the city. Two lines of stormtroopers stood at both sides of the path leading to the landing pad. The ship docked within seconds and the boarding ramp descended as smoke hissed from depressurizing. Celrich walked side-by-side with a tall, thin man who wore a black, very fine officer's uniform. His cap bore an Imperial symbol and he had black gloves on. He looked about forty and his eyes were a dark blue like that of someone high and mighty. His face was wrinkled, making him seem a bit older than he was, for he was really thirty-five. The two were flanked by six stormtroopers who were clad in black and had shoulder pauldrons on. "Welcome, my fine guests," said Yorin, bowing at the same time.

"You look fatter than usual Yorin. Palace life making you lazy too?" asked Celrich.

"Big-boned, please. And no, Bellassa is running quite smoothly."

"Then why is there a Jedi on the loose?" asked the governor, butting in on the conversation.

"A Jedi? You must be mistaken, uh, governor…"

"Avery. And yes, a Jedi. The Empire is not mistaken in this."

"I have no idea where he could be sir. We have no trouble on the planet."

"And what of the reports I've been getting from Commander Bullroarer."

"Commander Bullroarer?"

"The commander of your troops, 'king' Yorin. Honestly, is this man fit for ruling a planet?"

"He has been slacking recently," said Celrich.

"Senator-" He was cut off by Avery's blaster pistol. He fell, dead, to the feet of the two men. "Yorin, I'm taking over this pitiful planet, effective immediately. Commander!" A stormtrooper with a pauldron and orange markings on his helmet approached.

"I want that Jedi found. The Emperor has told me he feels a Force user here and needs him destroyed. He would like to test his new governors first, before sending his new, ahem, agent. Is there any candidate? A lawbreaker of sorts?"

"A city, twenty klicks to our south has reported a usual thief. Struck today."

"Execute Order 37 of that city commander. I want that Jedi before the next rotation."

Kota was once again alone, but this time in his personal quarters on Alderaan. It had been exactly one year since the dreaded day Order 66 took place. Since then, much had transpired. Senators in the Delegation of 2,000 continued to bring reports of the senate changing and laws being reprimanded. Senator Orn Free Taa himself, once a good friend of Bail Organa, had seceded and supported the Empire heavily. This gave a nasty blow to any hopes of having Ryloth or the Twi'leks as allies in the delegation's rebellion. Calling it a rebellion was too gracious, even after a year. The only supporters were the senators, and the 'rebellion' had no troops or a fleet to speak of. It had made no advancements in the short year since Order 66, and Kota never expected progress.

Kota had refused to take part after six months had gone by of inaction. He grew tired of the refusal to fight and distanced himself from the Organa family. His men had dispersed, though they were ready to be called at a moment's notice. While the galaxy was slowly transforming into a tyranny, Alderaan was left untouched. For a while, all seemed well for the exiled Jedi. Until the delegation arrived that day, at least.

Senator Mothma arrived late in the afternoon with Meena Tills, Chi Papanoida, Ivor Drake, and Giddean Danu. The odd entourage met Bail at the palace entrance and hurried him inside. Before long, Kota heard his comms going off with a summons to the meeting. Begrudgingly, he left his room. After a brisk walk through the city, he arrived at the palace and was led to the same dining room he had arrived in just a year ago. "To what do I owe the pleasure Bail?"

"Kota. I know you have become sour with the delegation, but the time for action has come."

"Really? What changed? Someone forcing you to?"

"A Jedi has been discovered on Bellassa."

"What?"

"No other news than that."

"How did you come by this?"

"Senator Celrich. He was an unconfirmed member of the delegation, but fortunately we never gave him any important information," said Giddean, his voice very deep.

"He may not have fully grasped what we stood for, especially because he told us about this Jedi," said Mon Mothma.

"Any description of the Jedi?"

"No. He was very quick to mention it, but we have changed our meeting time and location of Coruscant now that we know he is allied with the Empire through and through," added Meena.

"Well we must go to Bellassa."

"Yes, but we have to be careful," said Bail. "If Alderaan is seen not only rescuing a Jedi, but having done that because of essentially spying? Alderaan would be up in flames."

"I can get my militia together. How long might I have?"

"Not long. If the Empire sends his new agent, this Jedi will be in trouble."

"Agent?" The room went quiet when Kota asked this, but Chi finally broke it.

"Apparently…there's this Sith soldier who the Emperor has set loose. He has already killed dozens of Jedi now. His name is Vader."

"Is he a Sith too?"

"No one knows what he is. No one has lived to describe him. He's only ever talked of on the holo-net, and you know how much they use their propaganda."

"I'll take the Aston then."

"I'd rather you take a different ship, Kota," said Bail. "Not an ambassador's one. There may be a pilot here, in prison no less, who would fly you there."

"I don't deal with rogues."

"That's what you are."

"This man is different. Why is he in prison?"

"Smuggler."

"Scum."

"If he can get you on and off the planet undetected, then it will be worth it." Kota turned away from the senators and stared at the horizon. The sun was just setting as Kota turned to them again. "Lead me to him."

A good deal of communicating and preparing later, and Kota was now following an Alderaanian guard to the cellblock. It took them a while to get from the palace to the prison, but before long the cell had been opened for the pilot.

The pilot was a scruffy man, long, brown beard and dirty clothing, but he looked a young age of twenty-five. His clothes were simple for a smuggler. Black, long sleeved shirt and black pants with a white, though dirty, jacket. He had goggles on his forehead and his face was covered in muck, and he looked up at the two men as soon as he saw the door open. "Evening, gents. To what do I gain my freedom?"

"I need passage to Bellassa."

"And no one else can take you? I'm a little busy here."

"Kyle Katarn, General Kota. Tried for smuggling weapons from the Alderaanian barracks and assaulting an officer."

"The jerk deserved it."

"I was that jerk, Katarn."

"Point taken."

"Are you a good pilot?" asked Kota.

"Good pilot? Good pilot! General Kota, you are looking at THE best pilot in the galaxy."

"Good ship?"

"You bet."

"Will it fit a squad of a dozen men?"

"Big enough for a few dozen." Kota backed out of the cell and let the guard remove the restraints from Kyle. "Follow me!" Kyle ran out of the cellblock, out of the prison, and straight for the hangar. Kota's men were already inside, waiting to see which ship to take, and Bail had joined them as well.

"A word, Kota." Kyle stopped and Kota's militia guarded him while Bail and Kota tore away for a minute. "I'd like you to take my captain with you. He is the best I can offer for this mission."

"I thought you didn't want Alderaanian intervention."

"This is different. Captain Antilles is a superb fighter and a great leader. I just want him on the field."

"You need him out of your hair, don't you?"

"What?" Kota pointed at his troops, and specifically one who was dressed too heavily for the occasion. He had loads of ammo strapped around his chest, two rifles slung on his back, and a grin on his face. He was giddy and talking faster than he could think to a nearby soldier. "Fine. Just please take him with you. He's a good man nonetheless."

"If he dies, I'm not accountable."

"If he dies, I'll be VERY sad Kota." With that, Kota and Bail parted. Kota ran back to his squad and approached Captain Antilles.

"Captain Reymus Antilles at your service sir!" said the captain, trying to salute and hold his rifles on his back at the same time. Kota just shook his head and followed Kyle to a YT-1300 freighter, but he passed it for a Corellian G9 Rigger Freighter.

"The Twilight!" said Kyle in an enthusiastic voice. The ship looked as if it had been put back together after being savagely destroyed. Parts were loose, some parts were from different ships, and it looked incapable to lifting off. "Found it on Mandalore. Where I was born by the way. Put it back together after this Sith Lord blew it up, or something like that. She runs great, despite her look." All Kota could do was hang his head and hope that he would find the Jedi before the Empire did.


End file.
